– For the first time in years, Chicago-area television viewers will be able to see all games of both the Class A and AA state tournaments. The Class A tournament is March 11-12, and the Class AA event is March 18-19. WPWR-TV
(Channel 50) will carry-in addition to the Saturday semifinals, third-place game and title game-all of the Friday quarterfinal matches for both tournaments. Frank Bussone will again anchor the announcing teams each weekend. Coach Ed Butkovich of Mt. Pulaski will handle color commentary for the Class A telecasts, Barrington`s Bill Geist for Class AA.
– Before his team`s 57-49 victory over Simeon Saturday night in Highland, Ill., St. Louis Vashon coach Floyd Irons, miffed at statements by opposing coach Bob Hambric, told his team that ”Simeon doesn`t respect us.” It was as much a mental ploy as Hambric used when he was quoted as saying he thought his Wolverines could beat Vashon, the No. 5 high school team in the nation according to one set of ratings. What was most evident was that Simeon, trying to go inside all the time against Vashon`s strong front line of 6-foot-7-inch Malcolm Nash, 6-7 Corey Warner and 6-8 Montrell Nash, lost any outside shooting, making only 14 of 43 from the field in the defeat. The Wolverines were scoreless the last 5 minutes 1 second of the second quarter after taking a 22-21 lead, and only some turnovers kept Vashon from taking an even bigger halftime lead than its 29-22 margin. The most impressive thing about Simeon was that it stayed within respectable distance of Vashon with an all-junior starting lineup, prompting Irons to say he would not like to play Simeon
”when they`ve grown up next year.” Simeon (15-3) was led by 6-6 Deon Thomas, who collected 23 points and 16 rebounds. This was the first time this season any team had come within 17 points of Vashon. . . . The Simeon-Vashon game was the last of four played Friday and Saturday at Highland High School, some 30 miles east of St. Louis. . . . Steve Wacasar, publisher of Illinois High School Basketball magazine, praised the 34-point, 20-rebound effort of East St. Louis Lincoln`s LaPhonso Ellis in an 83-63 romp over Marshall Friday night. ”Ellis can`t play any better than that, and if he can, he should be playing for Notre Dame this season, not next season.” The 6-9 Ellis cast his lot with the Irish earlier this season. . . . Wacasar`s list of top Class AA seniors include (in alphabetical order) Eric Anderson of St. Francis de Sales, Randy Carter of Crane, Antoine Davison of Collins, Trevon Hughes of Tilden, Johnny Melvin of Robeson, Rob Pelinka of Lake Forest, Curtis Price of St. Rita, Carl Hayes of St. Joseph, Ray Thompson of Argo and Durrel Williams of East Aurora.
– The two Chicagoland teams with the longest winning streaks are the obvious ones. Both Schurz and Sandwich are 19-0. Next best are St. Joseph
(17-2) and Fremd (18-1): Both have won 14 in a row. Huntley (15-4) and de Sales (17-1) each have 13 consective victories, followed by Public League Blue-Central power Harper with 12 in a row and unheralded Rich Central, which has moved from a 3-7 start to a respectable 13-7 mark.
– St. Francis de Sales coach Mike Kaczmarz got a big boost Friday when his Pioneers played well against De La Salle even with the 6-9 Anderson out of the lineup for 6 minutes of the second half with 4 fouls. ”When Eric had to sit down, the attitude of the kids on the bench was, `We can play `em, coach. We`ll be all right.` I`ve said all along that this in not a one-man team.”
Donald Akins, de Sales` 5-7 senior guard, who sparked the Pioneers with 19 points, said that the team`s play without Anderson was a telling sign for the rest of their opponents down the line. ”We all started playing well together beause we know that we have to work extra hard without him in there,” said Akins. ”Everyone did his job tonight.”
– Leyden`s veteran coach, Norm Goodman, was emphatic after his team`s game with Downers Grove South Saturday that he doesn`t have to get his kids up for the big games. ”We enter every game as if it meant a state or a conference championship,” said Goodman, whose Eagles went out and beat the Mustangs 64-60 to stay on top the West Suburban Conference`s Gold Division.
– The IHSA has given the Public League permission to conduct the semifinals and finals of its playoffs on Saturday and Sunday, March 12-13.
Wrestling
– Dundee-Crown coach Al Zinke will resign after this season. Zinke`s team, which won the Fox Valley Conference title Saturday, has been
experiencing a tough year due to illness and injuries. ”We`ve had more this year than I`ve had in all the 10 years before,” said Zinke, who will probably be succeeded by longtime assistant Steve Glasder. ”I`m done after this year. I can`t deal with it. I can deal with kids, but I can`t deal with sickness and injuries. I`m also the athletic director, and I`m looking forward to just doing one job.”
– Here is a list of some of the wrestlers who finished the regular season unbeaten and untied with conference championships: Sean Kegel, Johnsburg (30-0 at 98); Ron Kowalski, St. Laurence (21-0 at 112); Mike Sheehy, St. Edward
(28-0 at 119); Sam Geraci, Lake Park (34-0 at 119); Chad Carls, Sycamore
(18-0 at 126); Joey Gilbert, Andrew (28-0 at 132); Tim Chaplin, Joliet Central (30-0 at 138); Tony Jacob, De La Salle (30-0 at 138); T.C. Danzler, Thornwood (26-0 at 138); John Granat, De La Salle (29-0 at 155); Brian Paramski, Libertyville (31-0 at 155); Steve Hughes, Stagg (28-0 at 185); Tom Salvino, Marist (28-0 at 185); Steve Rokusek, Crystal Lake South (33-0 at heavyweight). . . . Brothers Mike and John Eierman won Catholic League titles for different schools. Mike, who is 21-0-1, won the 98-pound title for St. Laurence while John, who is 22-2, won the 167-pound title for Leo.
– The Leyden regional should be interesting. West Suburban Conference Silver Division champion Oak Park and WSC Gold champion Leyden will be the top contenders. Leyden defeated Oak Park during the regular season, but Eagles coach Chuck Farina doesn`t see that as an advantage. ”Losing can really help you get your team ready,” said Farina, whose 34th Leyden team finished 24-0. ”If you lose a match, it makes you work a little harder for next time. They`ve got some really good individuals, and it should be a real
barnburner.”
– Defending Class AA state champion Marist was an easy winner in Saturday`s East Suburban Catholic meet. The Redskins did it without two regulars, 112-pounder Dan Nybert and 126-pounder Bill O`Brien. Nybert was resting an injured ankle, and reserve Mike D`Angelo filled in well with a second-place finish. O`Brien, the third O`Brien brother to wrestle for Marist, was to have a cauliflower ear drained. ”I can`t remember the last time we didn`t have an O`Brien in the lineup,” said Marist coach Mark Gervais. Gervais was happy with his team, which will host a regional Saturday, in the conference meet. ”We made some great strides,” he said. ”We had some kids beat guys they had lost to before. We`re looking good going into the regional. Thornwood looks like the team we have to beat. We`ll have to be on the top of our game.” . . Gervais, who wrestled at East Leyden for Chuck Farina, wasn`t surprised that Leyden finished 24-0 despite being an inexperienced team. ”I`m never surprised at him,” said the onetime Leyden 98-pounder. ”He wasn`t saying much before the season, and when you don`t hear anything, that`s when you start to worry.”
– The Mid-Suburban League ended in a tie between Conant and Fremd. That`s right, a tie. Conant won the Mid-Suburban League tournament, but the Cougars were in a three-way tie for the South Division dual title, which counts toward the overall title. Fremd was the unbeaten MSL North dual champion, but Conant`s winning the tournament put the Vikings into a tie for the league title. Conant, without an individual champion, scored 143 points to 137.5 for Fremd and 136 for Elk Grove.
– The match that never was-between Joliet Central`s Tim Chaplin and Andrew`s two-time state champion Joey Gilbert-would have been a beauty. Champlin won the 138-pound title in the SICA West with a 16-1 technical fall over Lockport`s Tom Fogarty, while Gilbert won the 132-pound title with a 17-1 technical fall over Romeoville`s Nick Tarnowski. Chaplin, who led the Steelmen to the team title, is 30-0 going into the regional, and Gilbert is 29-0. Gilbert beat Chaplin 7-4 in the Class AA 132-pound finals last season.
Girls` basketball
– Regina Dominican continues to surprise with a 19-2 record and the clinching of the GCAC North last week with a 62-32 victory over Carmel. Coach Mike Small, whose team was 18-6 last season before falling to Niles West in the regionals, depends on 5-foot-9-inch wing player Kris Fromell-an outstanding 3-point shooter-and the rebounding of 5-11 Tracy McIntyre, who hauled down 29 boards recently against Marillac. ”They`re both seniors, and when they`re on, we have an explosive offense,” said Small. Regina Dominican is ranked No. 9 in the Chicago area; its only losses are to Maine West and Dundee-Crown.
– Derril Kipp`s Maine West squad remained undefeated after coming back to beat New Trier 67-65 in overtime Tuesday. A new star with a familiar name is emerging for the Warriors. Sophomore Moira Kennelly, the sister of all-state guard Nancy Kennelly, scored the tying basket against New Trier with 5 seconds remaining in regulation and proceeded to steal the inbounds pass and put up a prayer that nearly went in. As it turned out, Maine West won the game when the Kennelly sisters dribbled and passed the ball to each other exclusively for the final :30 as the Warriors held on to a 2-point lead. ”Coach Kipp said for anyone to drive it in if they gave us room, and since there was no one between me and the basket, I just did it,” said Moira of the game-tying bucket.
”Actually, I thought it was probably going to get blocked.” The Warriors face another tough one Friday when they play host to No. 6 Niles West. New Trier, meanwhile, went on to lose another overtime heartbreaker Saturday night at the hands of host Whitney Young. . . . After coasting past Red-West rival Young earlier in the week, top-ranked Marshall completed a successful Downstate swing with easy victories over East St. Louis Lincoln and Edwardsville to remain unbeaten.
Girls` gymnastics
– The state series begins Monday, with regionals running through Saturday. While teams like Rich Central, Palatine, Resurrection and Libertyville appear to have a shot at the finals Feb. 19-20 at Palatine, many others could wind up among the final eight. The Evanston regional is Monday, with high-flying Resurrection as the favorite. Tuesday, Palatine is favored at the Fremd regional, with three-time defending state champion Fremd also capable of scoring high. Host Libertyville and Deerfield will also battle Tuesday, with Schaumburg the clear-cut favorite in its regional.
Wednesday, Downers Grove South looks good at Downers North, Streamwood is in position to win at Larkin, while Naperville North will battle host Naperville Central. Hinsdale Central should win its regional Thursday, with New Trier strong at Glenbrook South, and Addison Trail the probable front-runner at Lake Park. Friday, Rich Central is the favorite at its regional, while Barrington could be another home winner. Regionals conclude Saturday at Riverside-Brookfiel d, Mundelein, Conant and York. Host teams are among the favorites everywhere except Conant, where Rolling Meadows should dominate.
Sectionals start Feb. 10, with Willowbrook on tap for that night. Feeding Willowbrook are the York, Naperville Central, Lake Park and Schaumburg regionals. The Lake Forest sectional is Feb. 11, with teams from Evanston, Glenbrook South, Libertyville and Mundelein regionals. The Feb. 12 Prospect sectional features teams from regionals at Barrington, Larkin, Conant and Fremd. The lone afternoon regional is Feb. 13 at Downers Grove North. Feeding it are the Downers North, Hinsdale Central, Rich Central and Riverside-Brookfiel d regionals.
Football
– Bremen quarterback Dan Hancock visited Rice this weekend. The 6-foot-4- inch, 230-pound dropback passer might wait until after signing date to decided on a school. Many of the schools that were interested in him early have gone to running quarterbacks or want Hancock to switch positions. He wants to play quarterback and will wait to see what happens on signing day. He has also visited Wyoming, and Louisville, Miami (Ohio) and Northwestern have been recruiting him.
